"(U-3's JimmyKing) had us covered. I had to back off a little at the start and that piston motor just accelerates a lot better than a turbine does," said (U-5's Jeff) Bernard. "I told Jimmy before the heat that if I couldn't win I would love to see him win. He's been in that position so many times and he can't get a win. His bad day is my good day."He had this race won."

Thunder on the Ohio Race Chairman Tom Sawyer said today race officials are pleased with crowd turnout over the weekend and he’s “90 percent sure” Thunder will return next summer, preferably in August.“We won’t have hard numbers for at least five or six weeks, but things went real well,” said Sawyer.

Chris Denslow captures the best angle I've seen so far of the run-up to the U-16 flip. U-16 and U-1 are very close together on the turn. Decide for yourself what happens, but the boats appear feet apart at one part right before the flip.

"When I saw the U3 go down, I had a big smile,” said U-5 FormulaBoats.com driver Jeff Bernard. “Then I looked to my right and I saw my teammate J Michael Kelly. Well I knew I had my work cut out for me.

“We have two boats for one team but when it comes to that last heat, it is every man for himself.”

The U-16 Elam was brought back to shore after the flip in Heat 1A, but was unable to make the start for Heat 2A. The Elam team withdrew for the heat, but has not withdrawn for the weekend while they assess the damage to the boat. You may remember that Dave Villwock and the Elam team managed to win a race in the Tri-Cities after flipping and putting the boat back together in 2006.

Going into the final turn on the final lap of Heat 1A, U-1 Steve David was ahead with U-16 Dave Villwock closing. Villwock went up and over and landed upside down. He was able to get out of the boat and is back in the pits.

Afetr review, David was disqualified and the U-3 was declared the winner of Heat 1A.

The prop the U1 team was running was manufactured by the Ellstrom race team. "A lot of times your competitors are known to keep their best equipment and not sell it but in the case of Erick and the Ellstrom team they definitely sell their best props and we couldn't have been top qualifier without their help," David said.

For the first time in 8 years, I have a conflict during a boat race weekend that will take me out of the reporting mix at HydroInsider.com. You should be well covered with ABRA's stepped up website race weekend reporting, WORX radio's live audio, and Go3Racing's live streams.

Five of the eleven teams expected for Thunder on the Ohio were in the pit area on the Evansville riverfront by Thursday evening. The rest are expected Friday. Nate Brown's U-17 encountered transporter problems in Montana, and may not arrive until Saturday.

The Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville announced today that next year’s Freedom Festival will not include boat racing and also will be more condensed.GAGE officials cited the cost of bringing the smaller ChampBoats to Evansville ($100,000 plus associated expenses) and the lack of public support for them at this year's festival June 18-21.

Freedom Festival dropping boat racing >>EVANVILLE COURIER PRESSEDITOR'S NOTE: ChampBoats costs $100,000+?!? Seems if they were willing to pay that much for a series that won't draw like the Unlimiteds will, it doesn't make sense they'd pay a little more and bring in the big draw. Hmm.

"I really like the race course and the people around it. It's in a town center. They are really fun people to be around. I guess I'm in a good mood when I'm there and that hasn't hurt the racing." - Dave Villwock, U-16

Brad Coleman, a driver for Joe Gibbs racing was traveling at 190 mph when he saw a coyote a mere 100 feet away. With no possible way of slowing down to save the creature, the driver ran it over. To his suprise he couldn't figure our where it went. He describes the incident, “It just started smoking like crazy. And it smelled terrible. I didn’t see anything in the mirror, so I was like, ‘I wonder where it went?’"

Winning a heat and winding up with a second place finish in Seattle gives the team momentum going into Evansville, the U-3's home port.

"We have had our share of mechanical problems throughout the year," said U-3 driver Jimmy King. "I am really proud of the way this team has worked to keep us competitive. It is easy to give up but these guys have worked their butts off to get us ready for each event this year."

U-17 driver Kip Brown cannot make the trek to Doha, Qatar for the season finale in November and Nate Brown could pilot the boat overseas. Before he does that, Nate wants to get a few laps back in the boat so you may see him racing in Evansville.

The photo I originally used in the story was an archive photo of the UL-11... but Brian was driving Bob Schellhase's boat which was re-numbered UL-11 this weekend. Kayleigh's on the inside in the UL-72 (red). Brian's in the UL-11 (yellow) on the outside. Thanks for the photo and pointing out my error.

"Wasn't as bad as I thought," said Steve David. It was nothing more than (a part in the ) activator - a bellows - about a$250 part. #1 engine is ready to go, gear set is ready. We're 100% ready."

"Went to 148% N2, did some minor damage to the thing, couldn't keep it together. The exhaust gas went from 600 to 900. At 900, you're burning $1,000 dollar bills. At 900, you worry about blowing the hot section and $100,000 worth of damage. It was all I could do to limp across."

"In the points battle that we're in, it really makes Evansville one of the most important races on the circuit. It's the last fresh water race before we go to Qatar and who knows what happen's there with the salt water," said Steve David. "The pressure's really on to win this thing."

"We're in just as big of a points battle now as we were at the beginning of the year. We were dead even then, and we're about dead even now," said Dave Villwock.

"The actual racing is far better. The controversy is far less," said Villwock. "I think it's better for the sport, not having a bunch of people angry at the end. If we have a bunch of controversy at the end of every race every week, it's no fun for the fans."

"In terms of giving the fans a better product, what we're doing now is working better than how it's worked in the past."

"Steve David and I have more penalties for trying to take care of each other and get around the race course than all other penalties combined," said Dave Villwock. "Good competition. Good clean racing."

Thunder is trying to avoid the pitfalls that caused the Freedom Festival, run byGrowth Alliance of Greater Evansville (GAGE) in June, to lose $290,000. "The biggest mistake they made was not bringing in the unlimiteds," Sawyer said. "I believe that. They also totally avoided the use of any experienced volunteers."

From Walt Ottenad: In Heat 1A of Unlimited Lights action at Seafair, the outout shaft on the UL-56 broke at the prop, sending it into the right side tail, hitting the GoPro camera that was mounted there! This slowed down footage clearly shows the propellor as it bounced off the tail.

Go3 Racing has learned that all racing for the 31st Thunder on the Ohio will be held on Sunday August 23. Pit setup will take place on Thursday with Friday being hull inspection as well as an open pits for fans with admission buttons to visit the unlimiteds up close free of charge.

Go3 Racing highlights from the first for races of the 2009 ABRA Tour. Special thanks to James Crisp, Jim Simpson, Chris Denslow, Brad Drake, Lon Erickson for use of their pictures Watch video >>GO3RACING.COM

Meanwhile Qatar’s ambitions plans to host the last leg of the American Boat Racing Association (ABRA)’s Unlimited Hydroplane race in November this year willgo ahead. “We are looking forward to it and are getting tremendous response from the US media and the fans there. People are calling up asking for travel-related details. We will be in talks soon, with travel agencies here in Doha to work out some package deals,” said Sheikh Hassan.

“With countries like UAE and China showing interest in hosting the event, this will be a big boost for us and ABRA.”

American Boat Racing Association Chairman Sam Cole announced today that the Qatar Marine Sport Federation and the ABRA have agreed to move the dates for the Oryx Cup to one week later than originally set to accommodate scheduling and logistical issues for both parties. New dates for the event will be November 19-21, 2009.

The Oryx Cup will mark the first ever appearance by American unlimited hydroplanes in the Eastern hemisphere, and will involve transporting ten race boats and support equipment across the Atlantic.

His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani returned to Doha, Qatar following a visit to Seattle, Washington where he viewed the Chevrolet Cup at Seafair and signed the historic agreement that will take the world’s fastest race boats to Doha for the inaugural Oryx Cup.

Cole commented, “Sheikh Hassan contacted me Wednesday night and asked if it was possible to move the Oryx Cup to dates one week later than the dates we had originally been given by the QMSF. I responded that the extra week would actually benefit us as well, as we make preparations to take on the biggest project in the history of the ABRA.”

ABRA race teams will prepare for transport to the Middle East following Thunder on the Ohio in Evansville, Indiana August 21-23. The Oryx Cup will mark the final stop on the 2009 ABRA season, and the National High Point Champion will be crowned in ceremonies following the event in Doha.

Unless something drastic happens in the next three weeks, San Diego's Unlimited Hydroplane races will go off Sept. 18-20 without the Unlimited Hydroplanes. And as much as I personally have disagreed with the direction and viability of the Unlimited tour over the years, not having the Thunderboats as part of the World Series of Power Boat Racing is quite a blow to the event.

Grand Prix unlimited hydroplanes will bring the thunder back to Thunder on the Ohio on Aug. 21-23, it was announced Wednesday.

“We are supercharged 468 ccs and we’ll bring all kinds of noise,” said Graham Trucking Grand Prix driver and former unlimited driver Jerry Hopp. “Our top speeds are 160 to 165 mph. We’ll bring seven boats to Evansville and run on a 1 2/3 mile course. Our boats are 24 to 26 feet long and generate 1,300 horsepower. They are supercharged alcohol and most are Chevy motors.”

Jean Theoret and Jeff Bernard battled deck to deck for three laps before Jeff barely nudged ahead at the finish. This unique split screen view used GoPro Motorsports Hero cameras mounted on the front and rear of the cowl.

IOTA has put an end to any lingering speculation about the continued participation of the Spirit of Qatar Team in the 2009 Class 1 World Powerboat Championship, confirming HE Sheikh Hassan Bin Jabor Al-Thani's decision to withdraw the team with immediate effect.

IOTA General Secretary, Marco Sala, said that 'efforts to try to resolve the situation had proved unsuccessful'.

Sheikh Hassan's decision to withdraw the team was sparked by an incident at the start of last month's Norwegian Grand Prix and what he describes as 'the misconduct of teams during the start' and that 'officials were too slow to respond to the matter and the action required to be taken during the race'.

His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani and American Boat Racing Association (ABRA) chairman Sam Cole have signing a contract that will bring 10 unlimited hydroplanes – the fastest boats in the world – to Qatar in November.

Sheikh Hassan and Qatari racing colleague Abdullah Al-Sulaiti have been in Seattle over the last few days to witness the action at the Seattle Seafair Chevrolet Cup ABRA Unlimited Hydroplane race.

On Sunday, during the race, Sheikh Hassan signed an agreement on behalf of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) to host the final round of the 2009 series in Doha on November 12th-14th. The meeting will be known as the Oryx Cup World Championship.

“Sam Cole from the ABRA racing series visited our Class One race in Doha in April and we discussed the possibility and logistics of bringing this exciting form of power boat racing to the Middle East,” enthused Sheikh Hassan.

“I have been over in Washington State this week to meet the people involved in the championship. I was also given a ride in one of the boats that are used to gain an idea of how they compare with our Class One boats. It was a fantastic experience. This is a sport which we are looking forward to bringing back to Doha in November.”

Sheikh Hassan joined Larry Fuller from the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum and also had a ride in Miss Wahoo - a legendary U-77 hydroplane race hull – on Lake Washington during the Seattle Seafair round of the series on Saturday.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for our sport,” said Cole. “Being able to bring the fastest racing boats in the world to Doha is an honour. We truly appreciate Sheikh Hassan's confidence in our sport and look forward to a magnificent World Championship event this November. It is our goal to make Qatar the international capital of unlimited hydroplane racing as we journey abroad."

Unlimited hydroplanes have fewer restrictions than limited hydroplanes. The 28-foot, 6,000lb boats run primarily with a T-55 L7 turbine, which has been used in military helicopter design for many years. Hydroplanes of this nature use around 4.1 gallons of fuel per minute, develop approximately 2,500 horse power and reach speeds in excess of 200mph.

Hydroplane racing is sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association (APBA) and the UIM. Six of the existing race sites in the United States have hosted hydroplane racing for more than 30 years, although the inclusion of the Qatar race for the first time is a major step forward for championship organisers, who are planning to expand the series across Asia and the Middle East in the future.